Labour contenders given more time

CANDIDATES seeking the British Labour Party leadership have been given extra time to attract nominations following complaints from some of those seeking to replace Gordon Brown and from the party's grassroots.

Meanwhile, Lord Mandelson, one of the architects of New Labour's success under Tony Blair, last night announced his decision to stand down from the shadow cabinet, marking the first step of his exit from top-tier British politics.

So far, six candidates have put their names forward, but a number of them would have struggled to meet the original deadline of next Thursday set by Labour's National Executive Committee. This has now been extended until June 9th.

So far, former foreign secretary David Miliband, the current favourite, is just one nomination short of the 33 needed, while his brother, Ed, has 15 and Ed Balls has 17, according to House of Commons sources last night.

In the election, which will not be decided until September, the winning candidate will have to attract votes from MPs, trade union members and the party's rank and file, each of whom will have a third share of an electoral college.

Three other MPs have also put their names forward: former health secretary Andy Burnham, long-time left-winger John McDonnell and Hackney (London) MP Diane Abbott.

Speaking to the firemen's union yesterday, Mr McDonnell brought delegates to their feet when he called for a mass mobilisation by trade unionists to oppose spending cuts to come from the coalition government.

"I warn you they will come for us. They will come for your pensions and your jobs. The one service where they won't attack the pensions scheme is the police. They will need them to bring us into line when we resist," he declared.

The role of the trades unions will be influential in the campaign, though the belief that Mr Balls would be the candidate of all of them has been questioned, despite efforts by some of his supporters in the Unite union.

Unison and GMB are both inclined to support Ed Miliband, while Mr McDonnell, who has addressed two union conferences in 48 hours, may get the backing of smaller organisations.

Mr Burnham says Labour lost touch with public opinion over immigration during the last government: "I think I've got an ability to speak to people who have lost faith with Labour and that is very much what I want to do."